The Panpsycast Philosophy Podcast

Episode 51, Simone de Beauvoir (Part III - The Second Sex)

Simone de Beauvoir was a pioneer for the second-wave feminist
movement and one of the most famous philosophers to have lived.
Strikingly, Beauvoir did not label herself as a philosopher, since
she never attempted to provide an original treatise which aimed to
fully encapsulate the truth of the world or the human condition.
Instead, she considered herself as a writer, commentator and
novelist. Beauvoir’s identification should not, however, discredit
her as a philosopher. Jean-Paul Sartre’s work on existentialism is
heavily indebted to Beauvoir’s careful eye and scholarly expertise,
and her book The Ethics of Ambiguity, is considered by
many as one of the most significant texts in moral philosophy and
existentialism; the ethical text which Sartre promised, but never
produced.

Simone de Beauvoir’s most famous text is The Second
Sex; a detailed examination on what it means to be a woman
through the lens of existentialism. The Second Sex was
highly controversial at the time of its publication; receiving
backlash from certain areas of male-dominated academia and the
press. Nevertheless, it is still considered to be one of the
greatest works in feminist philosophy.

About the Podcast

A weekly 'informal and informative' philosophy podcast inspiring and supporting students, teachers, academics and free-thinkers worldwide. All episodes are available at www.thepanpsycast.com.